Warriors Writing Challenge
by Falling Skies - Ebonyfeather
Summary: This is my entry to the RainbowClan writing challenge. The first one-shot is based on the prompt, Hope. When everything else seems to fail, you can always believe.
1. Hope

Hope

Summary: All I want to do it make it out. Alive. The less scratches and scars plague me, the better. I just want reassurance that Crowpaw is okay.

**Hi, Skies here~ Anyway, this is a one-shot for the RainbowClan writing challenge. If you would like to join, the link to it is on my profile. Please read and review!**

This one-shot is half Nightfang's point of view, and half Crowpaw's point of view. Nightfang's point of view is here to set up the story of why Crowpaw is hopeful. The battle scene is not meant to be long. Crowpaw's point of view is more focused around the prompt, 'Hope'.

** Characters in the story:**

Nightfang: ShadowClan cat. Sleek small black she-cat with pale amber eyes. She is a stealthy warrior who uses surprise as her greatest advantage.

Crowpaw: Nightfang's daughter. A black she-cat with a white tail tip, soft white underbelly, and white paws. She is sick with the illness.

Brackenpelt: A cat that Nightfang battles in the ThunderClan camp.

Robinleaf –The ThunderClan medicine cat, which has herbs stolen by Nightfang.

* * *

><p>A stealthy swift small back she-cat by the name of Nightfang scurried through the unknown territory of ThunderClan. She was a ShadowClan cat, and was sent to find the best way to lead an invasion. She had a patrol of cats a few paces behind her. They had opted Nightfang to be the scout, her being the quickest, the quietist, and the best fighter in her Clan.<p>

Nightfang started off steadily, glancing behind her every once and a while. This was not a game. Not to be trifled with. If any ThunderClan cat so much as sniffed her scent, she would be caught, and in the attack all would be lost. The sleek black she-cat brushed up against a clump of ferns, dewdrops linking to her fur. She pawed the next fern out of the way, hoping to avoid the next encounter with water.

As she mazed through the forest more and more she finally found something that she could report back. It was not the official entrance to the ThunderClan camp, but it would work well enough. There was a thick of brambles that she would be able to move to one side, and by doing that a passage would form. It would go straight into a second opening in the warriors' den. That would make it so they could finish the warriors off before they went to the medicine cat den and retrieved the herbs they needed for the leader, deputy, four warriors, one apprentice (Crowpaw, Nightfang's daughter), and two queens that would die without it. But, the warriors, once awakened, would call an alarm, alerting every other warrior in the camp. No, there had to be a better way. Nightfang continued on her search.

She soon found a more discrete way into the camp, which consisted of climbing in between two large trees and wandering over a small hill of rocks. _That would be the way to go, _Nightfang said to herself as she retreated, _I shouldn't keep the others waiting. _And she went to go report to the rest of the patrol.

As she showed the battle patrol the later entrance, they thanked her. A couple of the cats were nervous, and they wanted the best possible chance that they would make it out alive.

At first Nightfang had been eager to lead this battle, knowing that if they succeeded their mission, Crowpaw would have the herbs and be healed. But soon, a part of that knowing and confidence faded away. Would they succeed? Actually succeed? The ShadowClan warriors were stealthy, strong, and loyal. ThunderClan was strong and brave, and would hold up a good defense. A tough fight was about to occur. Would they acquire the herbs they needed to save a couple of cat's lives? Would there be enough for Crowpaw and the others? And the most dreadful question of all –what if it was already too late?

* * *

><p>In the midst of battle, Nightfang pounced on her opponent. She recognized him as Brackenpelt, a cat who she had once bumped into at a gathering. He had been absent at the last gathering, and Nightfang, a slightly violent and determined she-cat, hoped that he would not show up at the following one due to injury.<p>

Despite Nightfang's sudden attacks, Brackenpelt was not one to go down easy. He intercepted Nightfang's leap and attacked her by swiping a claw at her leg. Brackenpelt was only beaten when a ShadowClan cat heard Nightfang's yelp of pain, and immediately alerted, came rushing to her aid.

During the battle Nightfang desperately hoped that they would earn the herbs they needed. She desperately hoped that young Crowpaw would survive through the malady while her mother was gone. _Please, _she prayed to StarClan, _after all the time spent with the energetic, kind, and cheerful cat, she didn't want to have to say goodbye. _

* * *

><p>Crowpaw coughed, one of the loudest yaks of the night. Nearby, the ShadowClan medicine cat rustled through the herbs that were stacked on stones, "I hope the patrols come back soon."<p>

The young apprentice nodded. Her mother was leading the patrol since the leader and the deputy were sick. She was a respected warrior, and Crowpaw believed that she would lead to victory.

Nearby she saw a queen that had been raising kits while Crowpaw herself was in the nursery. She had always been kind to the young kit, and it tore Crowpaw to pieces to see her slumped on her side, her eyes blazed with fever.

At that moment, Crowpaw's best friend Thornpaw came in. Thornpaw was clutching a frog in her jaw, which she placed in between the queen and Crowpaw. Her best's friend stomach rumbled, and Crowpaw felt instantly guilty. Crowpaw had eaten earlier in the day while Thornpaw had not. Crowpaw had been resting all day in a dry den while Thornpaw had been out battling the elements. The day before Crowpaw had tried to muster up enough strength to go hunting on her own, but she couldn't make it past the entrance of the medicine cat den. Exhaustion has overwhelmed her to quickly, and the Clan deputy had swept her inside quickly.

The Clan needed herbs and the Clan needed prey. If the patrol succeeded their mission, the Clan would have herbs. What about prey? That wasn't something you could ignore! Crowpaw lie on the ground, hope bursting inside her.


	2. Almost a Warrior

Almost a Warrior

Summary: Thornpaw's thoughts and feelings as she sees the forest for her first time as a new and excited apprentice.

**This is my second chapter to the RainbowClan writing challenge. The challenge was to write a one-shot using no dialogue. If you would like to join, there is information on my profile. **

Today was the day! Last night the ThunderClan leader had announced me a trustworthy apprentice. No longer would I respond to Thornkit –no, until my warrior name I would be Thornpaw. No longer was I a mewing kit. I was a warrior apprentice, one step closer to becoming a feared warrior! My sister said I was taking this ceremony too seriously, but after my hard training, I couldn't wait to prove Amberpaw wrong. I would soon become the most respected leader in the history of the Clans. Anyone could see it.

Today at sunrise I would be shown the territory by the respected ThunderClan deputy, Bramblefoot. He was my mentor. My sister Amberpaw was training to become a medicine cat. And although she had chosen the path of peace and healing, Amberpaw supported me in whatever I did. She would even be my battle-training opponent if I needed one. I would usually win, but that didn't bother either of us. Today, Bramblefoot would show me the extent of the territory this day, where many battles had once been fought. He would show me the borders of the large land, the borders that separated WindClan's and ShadowClan's territory from our own.

I rushed out of the apprentice den when the sun rose, probably a record for the average apprentice. Amberpaw was still asleep in the den, although her golden orange fur was blazing in the harsh sun.

My mentor was waiting for me. We exchanged a few words and off we went! Never before had I been allowed to set paw out of the Clan camp, so naturally I was bursting with excitement. If only Amberpaw was with me. I had always dreamed that she and I would be doing this together, until I had the shock of learning she wished to be a medicine cat. I loved her decision and I'm glad that she is my sister.

Amberpaw was a great medicine cat. She knew almost all the herbs, and she was quite handy in an emergency. She was kind and considerate, and was peaceful to herself and to other cats. She blamed herself for too many things, the same trait that other medicine cats before her had had. For one example, Cinderpelt.

My mentor and I started off into the forest, a slight breeze of wind flushing our fur. I ran to my mentor, who was pointing out some herbs. The ones that my sister would probably learning right now in a medicine cat den. I flinched as a mouse came to my view, but then immediately became excited. I rushed towards the wandering prey, but it heard me the moment I gave chase. It scampered a way, and while I whimpered in disappointment, Bramblefoot smiled. Apparently I wasn't supposed to go running to it. I shrugged, and we moved on.

As I trotted around in the forest, my fur brushed against a damp fern, water sliding on my pelt. 'Like rain' was my connection. The mist that was forming into dewdrops ran down my pelt, allowing me to feel every drop. It slicked down my back. It dripped down my ears. I was in the forest. At last, I was in the forest. In the wild. I was into the wild. I enjoyed the feeling, and I quickly picked up my pace so I could catch up with my mentor.


	3. Five Drabbles

**The challenge for RainbowClan was to write five different drabbles (100 words each), all on different emotions. I actually chose the challenge :) Anyways, if you would like to join the writing challenge there are some details on my profile. ~Splashpaw of RainbowClan  
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1. Hopeful

With my loyal Clanmates by my side, we would win this battle. I know we would. I observed the warriors by my side… I trusted each and every one of them with my life. And I'm sure they trusted me with the same. My mate, Poppyfrost, waved to me as I left the camp while our two beautiful kits, launched out of the nursery just in time to say their goodbyes. I stopped for a moment, for a split second, worried. But I pushed it away. I would see them again. With honor, with triumph, and with victory.

2. Happy

It was official. When the sun peeks out from behind the distant mountains, my day would come. I would leave behind my den, my denmates, the most of my chores, and exchange it for a warrior name and warrior life. This time next sunrise I would finish my vigil, and hear the sound of my Clanmates praising my hard training. I can think of no better cats then my littermates, who would be standing by my side and sharing glory. This was our day, and just like any other, we would live it to it's fullest. I smiled.

3. Grief

Why did it have to happen to me? I was the one who truly cared about her, the one who was by her side every minute of every moon. She should have passed away as a warrior! Not an apprentice who was trying to save her Clan from badgers! Loyalty flooded her with every turn, and without realizing it, the Clan had lost it's greatest warrior. And my best friend. She was loved. I will never forget that emotion that flooded over me as she tilted her head towards me, seconds before the badger swiped at her. Never.

4. Worry

My first battle. Looking to my side was the Clan deputy, a cat who was nearly three times my height. Not to mention three times my strength as well. He would do his best to protect me, but the Clan would come first. Both of us were aware of that. I waited, being alarmed at every leaf falling, until I heard the onslaught of the dashing dreaded ShadowClan assassins. I couldn't turn back now, and I charged towards the brawling cats, in my heart screaming in terror. They were not here to defend, they were here to kill.

5. Betrayed

The thief! The traitor! It had been organized and preplanned. We would bring the catmint in exchange for the warrior back. But that's not what happened. Apparently we had waited too long to free him. We were too late. His pride was gone, and with it, his loyalty. Once a Clanmate, now an enemy. He has grown to trust the clan that had captured him. He had been converted to their side, and would never be hesitant to fight his true kin in battle. He was now an outcast to our clan, though he was welcome to theirs.


End file.
